05 June 2012

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has become the first governor in the country's history to survive a recall election. NBC, CNN and Fox News called the race shortly before 10PM /ETfor the anti-gay union-busting Republican governor, reports WTMJ and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The Republican governor held onto his seat in a rematch with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who Walker beat by nearly 6 percentage points in 2010. Turnout Tuesday was far higher than it had been 19 months earlier.

Plans to recall Walker started shortly after he introduced his plan last year to all but eliminate collective bargaining for public workers. The plan prompted tens of thousands protesters to occupy the Capitol and Senate Democrats to leave the state for three weeks in an effort to block the bill, but Walker's fellow Republicans managed to send the measure to him for his signature in March 2011.

The Tea Party-backed governor filed a motion in May 2011 seeking to allow the state to withdraw from defending its domestic partnership law. Walker claimed the law was unconstitutional and fired the law firm defending the challenge. A state court later ruled that the DP law was constitutional, offered only "limited benefits" and did not "remotely resemble marriage."

The 1 million signatures that United Wisconsin, the coalition that spearheaded the effort along with the Democratic Party, said were collected far exceeded the more than 540,000 needed. The effort stemmed from anger over Walker's aggressive moves during his first year in office that included effectively ended collective bargaining rights for nearly all public workers.

Petitioners on Tuesday also were submitting about 300,000 more signatures than were needed to trigger a recall election against Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch. Between 23 percent and 56 percent above the number of signatures needed were also collected to force recall elections of four Republican state senators, including Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald. The massive number of signatures against Walker—85 percent above the level needed—could make it nearly impossible for opponents to successfully challenge enough of them to stop an election.

So far, a Democrat has not yet emerged to run against Walker, though Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who ran for governor against Walker in 2010 and Secretary of State Doug La Follette have been mentioned as possible candidates. As many as 17 Wisconsin state senators —11 Republicans and six Democrats—could face special recall elections this year. ... The elections could tip the balance of power in the state Senate, where Republicans currently hold a 17-16 majority.

In May 2011, the Tea Party-backed, anti-gay union-busting governor filed a motion seeking to allow the state to withdraw from defending its domestic partnership law because he believed it was unconstitutional. A state court later ruled that the DP law was constitutional, only offered "limited benefits" and did not "remotely resemble marriage."

17 June 2011

It's a "natural" alliance because labor unions and LGBT rights are "under attack" from the same forces, said civil rights and environmental activist Anthony K. "Van" Jones tonight at Netroots Nation 2011.

"The rights we fought for all years are being thrown away," says Jones. "At the same time the movement for lesbians, gays and transgenders is under attack. We need to stand together and make sure there jobs for everybody and equality for everybody."

Jones was formerly the White House Special Advisor for Green Jobs. He is currently a senior fellow at the Center For American Progress, which publishes Think Progress. Van Jones will deliver the keynote address tomorrow night at Netroots Nation 2011. The video was shot by San Francisco-based COLAGE, watch AFTER THE JUMP ..